XO Sauce originated in Hong Kong and started turning up on upscale Chinese restaurant menus in the U.S. several years ago. Now it can be found in neighborhood diners as well as in jars on the shelves of every Asian market. XO, a good Cognac rating, is a Cantonese term that is used to describe anything that is high toned or a luxury item. Having made the Momofuku version, I fully appreciate its use in giving just about any food an instant umami boost.
The two main ingredients are dried shrimp and dried scallops. These can be pricey depending on their size, flavor, and uniformity. I used relatively inexpensive varieties, they were about 1/2 inch in diameter, but they tasted like condensed versions of the seafood.
The dried ingredients were rehydrated overnight in water and then minced in the food processor.
Separately processed were 1/2 cups of garlic, ginger, a piece of Virginia ham, and a couple of lap cheung (sausages that are staples of the Chinese kitchen).
I mixed everything together along with a good helping of red chile flakes and cooked the mixture over a low flame for about 45 minutes. All the components melded together into a dry-ish/flaky "sauce" that was savory, spicy, and slightly sweet. I packed it into small jars so I could share the wealth with friends who might want to try a homemade version of XO sauce.
For dinner I cooked it with green beans.
I spent the weekend in Los Angeles eating. Had a couple of dinners in Chinatown. Zen Mei Bistro is good and cheap and offers free dishes if you spend over $20. I have in my memory some creative photos of roast duck and this is one I'll add to the list:
The next day and a few freeways away was lunch in Arcadia at Din Tai Fung. I ate at the Shanghai branch a few years ago and loved it. I was not at all disappointed with the delicate juicy pork dumplings here. You'd be hard-pressed to find a wrapping thinner than the one at DTF.
Also good were the noodles in a spicy sesame sauce.
This little dumpling steamer guy doing taiji might have to be my new mascot.
